How to start an urban organic garden

(Une version précédente de cet article est disponible en français)

Since most of us in the northern hemisphere will partake in gardening within the next month or so, make sure you read this now and get ready! Plan the space you have ahead of time. Draw a plan, and organize your space depending on how much sun you get.

Everyone should try gardening and enjoy the benefits, which go much further than getting some food. You develop a connection to nature and your food, it’s a great way to teach kids about where food comes from and appreciate the value of it more. By learning also about the responsibility of taking care of those plants, which in turn will give you healthy and delicious food. Gardening is also very therapeutic and people quite enjoy getting their hands “dirty”. It’s a feeling like nothing else. Don’t be scared, give it a try! It’s awesome! But don’t forget to buy organic/heirloom/non-GMO seeds! (If you’re not familiar with organic and GMOs, click here to find out)

You don’t need to have a big space to have a garden, you don’t even need to have a yard at all! (this will also provide food and shelter for insects like bees and birds as well, you can even add a bowl of fresh water for them) Anyone can grow something, even if it’s just a couple of tomato plants, some lettuce and a few herbs. Being able to get home from work and use a freshly picked tomato from your balcony to add in your salad is an amazing feeling, not to mention absolutely delicious! Store-bought tomatoes have nothing on homegrown tomatoes! Super sweet taste and still warm from the sun…. MMmmm…. I can’t wait to have delicious salads and tomato sandwiches from my garden this summer!!! So yummy!

Did you know you can save the seeds from the organic vegetables you’re buying right now? And did you know you can even grow potatoes in a bag? (click on the links to find out how)

Here are some of the delicious recipes I made with my own veggies last year:

Roasted mushroom, onion and snow pea crostini

Lemon, garlic and Dijon mustard green beans and tomatoes

Cherry tomato and garlic confit

Quick raw vegan pesto

Fried green tomatoes Napoleon style

Fresh chèvre, tomato and shallot tartine

I have a very, very small backyard (pretty much the size of a deck), with no grass/dirt, so my talented and crafty sister built some raised beds all around our yard in order to plant whatever we wanted. It looks very pretty with all the greenery. We have some cedar trees, hostas and hydrangeas in the more shady areas, and the sunnier spots are reserved for vegetables. I do the best I can with the space I have! 🙂  So I have a couple of raspberry bushes that we planted 2 summers ago and produced quite a bit last year, hopefully they’ll produce this summer too. I also have a big pot with some strawberries that I’ve had for a few years, they usually produce but I’ll have to fight off a few squirrels for them. haha   In the rest of the raised bed, I will plant some organic sweet peas and snow peas, and some green beans, these guys can tolerate a bit less sun so they should be fine there. Then I have a large cedar box (used to be a cedar chest that I bought for $40 on Kijiji! I just removed the top), I’ve filled the box with dirt and some veggie scraps from my morning juices, which will compost and give nutrients to the dirt. I’ve also added some natural shrimp compost and some good quality, pesticide-free soil that I bought at the local garden centre. I will be planting 6 tomato plants in there, various kinds, mostly heirloom, like the Striped German, or the Purple Cherokee, delicious yellow tomatoes and of course the small cherry and the cute little yellow pear variety. I use large terra cotta pots to plant smaller things like fresh herbs (thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, etc.), various kinds of lettuce (which work well in shadier locations) and radishes. Oh, and I usually get a couple of sweet pepper plants too. Yum!

For this year, I would like to try growing some kale and Swiss chard, and maybe mini-eggplants. I have such a limited space, sometimes I need to stop myself from buying too many seedlings at the organic farm! haha

Just make sure you have lots of light, good soil and give them enough water, and nature will do the rest!

If you plan on building your own boxes, make sure to use untreated wood like cedar or pine, but no treated wood, since the chemicals will leach into the soil and into your vegetables.

For those of you who have never had a garden before, don’t be afraid! Here’s a little informative video:

Some tips on container gardens (inspirational pictures at the bottom):

Container criteria
There are several options for containers, including barrels, buckets, garbage pails and plastic crates lined with plastic garbage bags—even hanging baskets or window boxes can be used. Keep in mind, though, that clay pots, unless they’re glazed, absorb moisture from the soil so plants need more frequent watering.

Here are more container tips to keep in mind:

• Never use anything that’s been coated with a preservative or has held toxic substances.
• Drainage holes in the bottom are essential.
• If the pot is too small, the plant can become root bound and develop poorly.
• The smaller the container, the more often it will need watering; those less than 20 centimetres wide are difficult to maintain.
• If your growing site is on an apartment balcony or rooftop, use a lightweight soilless mix and lightweight pots. If you’re planning on having several containers, check if your building has any weight restrictions.

Basics:

Light, temperature and planting chart

• Light requirements: High—6-8 hours of sunlight; Medium—4-6 hours; Low—4 hours
• Temperature: Warm—(around 15°C) needs warm soil and air temperatures; doesn’t tolerate frost; Cool—will grow in cooler temperatures; may survive a light frost
• Planting: Seeds—best planted as seeds; Seedlings—best planted as seedlings

Beans
Light: High
Temp.: Warm
Planting: Seeds or seedlings
Tips: For a continuous crop of bush beans, sow every 2 to 3 weeks throughout midsummer

Beets
Light: Medium
Temp.: Cool
Planting: Seeds
Tips: Keep well watered to prevent scab

Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kale
Light: Medium
Temp.: Cool
Planting: Seedlings
Tips: Grow in 22-litre containers. Use a row cover to prevent insect damage

Carrots
Light: Medium
Temp.: Cool
Planting: Seeds
Tips: For shallow containers, choose varieties with small, ball-shaped roots

Cucumbers and melons
Light: High
Temp.: Warm
Planting: Seeds or seedlings
Tips: Three cucumber or 2 melon vines will grow well in a 90-litre garbage pail. Both need their flowers pollinated by bees; otherwise hand-pollinate with a paintbrush in the morning

Eggplant and peppers
Light: High
Temp.: Warm
Planting: Seedlings
Tips: Don’t plant outside until weather and soil are warm; otherwise growth and fruiting will be set back

Leeks
Light: Medium
Temp.: Cool
Planting: Start seeds 10-12 weeks before last spring frost date
Tips: Use containers at least 45 cm deep. Fill with 20 cm of soil; plant seedlings. As they grow, top up containers with soil to keep stems blanched

Lettuce
Light: Low
Temp.: Cool
Planting: Seeds or seedlings
Tips: In hot weather, does best with morning sun and afternoon shade

Onion
Light: Medium
Temp.: Cool
Planting: Seeds or sets
Tips: Keep well watered to prevent small, pungent bulbs

Asian greens
Light: Low
Temp.: Cool
Planting: Seeds or seedlings
Tips: Follow package instructions for when to plant each specific type and how to avoid problems with bolting

Peas
Light: Medium
Temp.: Cool
Planting: Seeds
Tips: For autumn crop, sow 2 months before first fall frost

Potatoes
Light: Medium
Temp.: Warm
Planting: Tubers
Tips: Containers should be at least 45 cm deep. Keep well watered to avoid scab

Radishes
Light: Medium
Temp.: Cool
Planting: Seedlings
Tips: Small, round radishes can be grown in a container as shallow as a shoebox; best grown in spring and fall

Spinach
Light: Low
Temp.: Cool
Planting: Seeds
Tips: Best grown in spring and fall; will bolt to seed in summer

Squash
Light: High
Temp.: Warm
Planting: Seeds or seedlings
Tips: Best grown in a 90-litre garbage pail. Flowers must be pollinated by bees or hand-pollinated in the morning

Swiss chard
Light: Low
Temp.: Cool
Planting: Seeds or seedlings
Tips: Water well to keep from bolting to seed

Tomatoes
Light: High
Temp.: Warm
Planting: Seedlings
Tips: For large varieties, use 22-litre containers; fill with soil to within 7.5 to 10 cm of top. Plant seedling slightly deeper than it was growing. As seedling grows, remove lower leaves and add more soil

You can information to help you garden naturally (without synthetic chemicals) here.

Even if you don’t have a vegetable garden, you can still use natural techniques to maintain your lawn as naturally as possible, without using dangerous chemicals.

That’s what my vegetable garden looks like (that was two springs ago)